Protesters booked for ‘vandalising’ HESCO office

As protests against the power outages gathered fury, the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) claimed that 50 to 60 people vandalised one of its offices in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Liaquat Colony sub-divisional officer (SDO) Syed Aqeel Ahmed Shah lodged an FIR at Pinyari police station, nominating Hyderabad Municipal Corporation union committee chairperson Zubair Siddiqui and others.

According to him, 50 to 60 persons led by Siddiqui attacked the office, damaging cupboards and the windows besides harassing three staff members.

He added that he was at Hala Naka grid station at the time of the incident trying to restore power supply to Firdous Feeder, which provides electricity to Liaquat Colony and adjoining areas.

"Siddiqui was talking to me on the phone when those accompanying him began to shout and attack my office," said Shah. The FIR has been lodged under Sections 147, 149, 353, 504 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Siddiqui, meanwhile, denied the claims that he or anyone accompanying him resorted to violence. In a recording of the conversation between the SDO and Siddiqui, the latter can be heard telling the former that he wanted to visit him at the grid station.

While Shah said that power supply had been restored, Siddiqui maintained his area had been without electricity since the night before the incident.